The profession of explosive ordnance disposal needs the high level of professional training, well-developed professional skills and abilities.

In fact, the profession of explosive ordnance disposal is experiencing explosive growth. In response to the growing demand for well-qualified specialists in the field of explosive ordnance disposal, many institutes of higher learning are developing and advancing EOD programs. In this respect, it is possible to single out the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin and the Navy College.

These two institutes of higher learning offer EOD programs for students, where they can extend their professional knowledge and develop professional skills and abilities.

In fact, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin and the Navy College offer programs which are supposed to attract students interested in the EOD, but it is worth mentioning the fact that the College of Liberal Arts also offers large prospects for the professional development and continuing education after graduation from the college. Nevertheless, both programs are well-developed and imply the training of students to make them EOD professionals ready to work in diverse workplace environment.

The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin offers the training of EOD professionals in terms of the training of Special Operations Officers. In other words, the EOD Program rather comprises a part of the training of Special Operations Officers than an individual, independent program targeting at the training of EOD professionals specifically. At first glance, the EOD program of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin may be insufficient taking into consideration the context in which the program is implemented. Nonetheless, the quality of training can hardly be underestimated. Moreover, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin opens larger opportunities for students because they will get training not only in terms of the EOD program but they will also get training as Special Ordinance Officers. In other words, students will get an opportunity to have an extensive training, where the EOD program comprises an integral part of the program aiming at the training of Special Ordinance Officers.

The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin stresses that the EOD program is demanding that implies the high quality of training. On the other hand, students choosing this program may face certain drawbacks of the EOD program in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin because they will need to focus on extensive training. Therefore, the program will not suit those who do want to get training in the EOD specifically. At the same time, such extensive training opens larger opportunities for students because they can continue their education and training. For instance, on accomplishing the EOD program, they can continue their education at the University of Texas at Austin. Alternatively, they can focus specifically on their professional work and career. On addition, students can earn while training, on the condition that they have already got a qualification.

Furthermore, students enrolled in the EOD program have access to the laboratories and can get extensive practical experience working in the field. In this regard, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin has significant advantages compared to other colleges because students can train and work simultaneously. At any rate, they can get training in real life situations. This experience is very important in training of EOD professionals because practical experience acquired in real life situations is as important as a solid theoretical background. Thus, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin offers students a very prospective EOD program.

In this regard, the Navy College also offers a noteworthy program but, unlike the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, it fails to offer students the possibility to continue their education and combine their work and training. Naturally, students can continue their education but they will need to transfer because the Navy College offers the EOD program without prospects of continuing education at the higher educational level.

In such a way, unlike the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, the Navy College focuses on the EOD program specifically. At this point, such a concern of the Navy College with the EOD program can hardly be viewed as a drawback. Compared to the EOD program offered by the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, the Navy College’s EOD program allows students to focus entirely on the EOD training. They do not need to study or to be enrolled in other programs or training to graduate and obtain the degree in EOD. In addition, such a focus on the EOD program implies the high level of professional training because students are not distracted from their target profession and they are trained in the EOD solely. On the other hand, the lack of diversity in the training, such the enrollment in programs other than the EOD program, may raise certain problems, when students will need to work in real life situation, where the knowledge of the context in which they work may be very important, whereas their professional knowledge in EOD may be insufficient.

Furthermore, the Navy College provides students with laboratories and possibility to conduct experiments in abundance, but they do not have the possibility to combine their training and work or to train in real life situations. In such a way, on graduating, students may need some time to adapt to work in the real life, whereas students graduating from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin will come prepared to work in real life situations.

Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is possible to conclude that the professional EOD training is very important and the quality of education is crucial for the training of well-qualified professionals. In this regard, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin and the Navy College are reliable institutions of higher learning. At the same time, either institution has its drawbacks as well as merits. Nevertheless, in spite of existing drawbacks both institutions can train well-qualified professionals. In this regard, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin seems to be more preferable than the Navy College for those students who want to continue their education and who want to get an extensive professional training in different fields. In addition, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin offers the possibility of post-graduate employment.